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4 The Polemic ·Features February 2000 ,; ·ACC explores on-line courses No Y2K problems result of college's preparation .:. Kate Splitt "staff Writer - Does anybody remember · th~ Jetsons? Elroy and Judy ·\Yould wake up in the morn- i'ng, get dressed, . have -breakfast and then sit down in frDnt of the television screen '.to see the teacher's smiling -race looking back at them. Sounds pretty futuristic, right? Well, it's not. The future is hire. We can not only do our :s.li_opping on the Internet; we can take college courses and even get a degree on our home ·e~mputers. · Because certain segments· of the, population can't attend regular classes, such as per- . sons with physical limitations or family issues, the availabil- ity of classes on the Internet would accomodate these di- lemmas. "There was an effort that started two or three years ago by some individuals that were kind of pioneers in their field," says Jeff Blumenthal. "They wanted to take a look at dis- tance learning. They wanted to utilize the Internet and web- based instruction because they saw this as the wave of the future. They wanted to make it so learning could be done anytime, anywhere." "This stuff is happening now." Jeff Blumenthal class to MSU. This Stuff is happening now." Blumenthal knows first- haI).d about being a cyber-student as he is continu- ing his education on-line. "It's been a challenge," he says. '"It's a lonely experi- ence. Sometimes, you're out there wond_ering what the in- structor was thinking. · You wonder if the other students feel the same way about an assignment and there might be questions that you have for the instructor. "Let's say I write the in- /Ii~ ~ . /4•=---= f" 1!~9~;~ J J _ Potential problems could also arise if students don't have access to this technology. "Unfortunately, that's what our society has become," he said. "We've become the technology 'haves and have nots.' They [students] will be light years behind." According to Blumenthal, students and faculty have shown an interest in on-line classes, but with a degree of skepticism. _ By Chanda Wekwert Staff Wi,-iter · So the year 2000 has stn. and people have begun to , lax. The newspapers h ceased writing headlines £ turing Y2K and most peo have forgotten the panic frenzy they were in just as month ago. Now that eve thing has returned to nor and people have settled do Lyle Beck, MIS director ACC, said the college w "well prepared" for the p sible dangers of the Y2K co puter bug. · ·_' Alpena Community Col- :rege, along with other ·community colleges in the ·shl.te, have joined together to ;c'reate the Michigan Commu- 'rrity College Virtual Learning Typically used by work- ing professionals juggling careers and families, Internet classes provide the ability to upgrade training and, also, to _ pursue college degrees. The popularity of on-line learning has doubled the number of classes in the last year. • structor about these questions. "There's interest here but a certain amount of dissent," Blumenthal said. "They're not really sure about what's go- ing on and not certain if this is the direction that education should go." The beginning of 1999 si naled the start of a race to e amine all 450 of the compu :Collaborative. After attend- -irig a seminar presented by 'this organization, instructors ;Terry Hall and Jeff _B!umenthal began setting up -a- Language and Reason .:-C:ourse which Hall says will be available to students as early as the fall semester. Ac- ·cording to Hall, the trend toward Internet classes is new -but growing rapidly. - ,. ' "Five years ago, there w·ere. only a few classes :around the country that were av'.ailable," he says. "Now there are hundreds. In fact, I think there's a university that is• totally on the Internet. It has no buildings. I thought that the Language and Reason cQurse would lend itself to this ki'nd of approach." There are many advan- tages in taking on-line classes. "One of the things I see, from a visionary standpoint," says Blumenthal, "are busi- nesses and individuals [who] need continual training. That's not going to go away." Not only can students benefit academically, on-line classes may be less expensive. "Let's say, for example," explains Blumenthal, "you're a student at Michigan State University and there's a class offered at Lansing Commu- nity College, and it's being offered, on-line, it's going to cost you less. The · student could sign up for it; take it on-line and then transfer the I might not hear back for a day or so, so you're kind of left in limbo. It's been _a chal- lenge but very enjoyable. I've been able to communicate with working professionals in different parts of the country, different parts of the world." This type of instruction, however, is not for everyone. There are concerns about the isolation and the need for in- teraction with other students. "I _ have to admit," says Blumenthal, "that being the so-called 'technological guru,' I'm still frightful of that type of atmosphere. It's very im- portant to interact with people. You can't function with this alone. I see this as a potential for isolation if the individual doesn't have the development skills to express and commu- nicate." Taking classes on-line is done much the same as tak- ing classes here. Students need to meet with an advisor, but can register on-line. Fi- nancial aid is handled in the trapitional method. Students can contact the Michigan Community College Virtual , Learning Collaborative on their website at www. mccvlc.org., for further infor- matioo. No matter how we look at it, this technology is here to stay. Is this the same edu- cation that Judy and Elroy Jetson receive? Well, not ex- actly. "The difference with the Je son's," says Hall, "is that they were just sitting in front of the TV, which is passive. This is very active." ers at the college for possibl problems. Then again in De- cember, with the last month of ' the millennium drawing to a close, all of the computers with the millennium but that were tested again. everything "worked out as we Through the course of pre- anticipated it would." paring the computers, about Another possible computer 3,000 hours of other program- · problem was mentioned during ming was delayed until after the board meting, the unex- the year 2000. The programs pected arrival of a Leap Year delayed dealt mostly with ac- this year. When Beck was count rec~ivable and payroll asked if the computers would revisions. have a problem, he likened it Exactly 90 computers were to the earlier scenario of 9-9- replaced during the year as 99 and termed it the "Leap they were found incapable of Year's Challenge." supporting the necessary year 2000 software. On Dec. 31, all of the computers were shut down in anticipation for mid- night except for the Internet server; and early on the morn·- ing of Jan. 1, all of the com- puters were powered back up so they could be examined for ~if e-Long Learners bring variety to course offerings Attention soft ball players Uy Celeste M. Mertz S*aff Writer : Over the past two years y~u have probably noticed ntany "older" students on cam- p~s. These older learner-s are mbst likely participants of the Association of Lifelong Learn- ers at Alpena Community Col- lege. ALL @ ACC blossomed w_hen a group of volurtteers worked together at a holiday function in December 1997. T.~e group began talking about ~.pamphlet they had seen from · tbe National Elderhostel which outlined some extended learn-. - ing programs for various groups globally. "It sounded neat," recalled Dennis Doubek, ALL @ ACC executive chairman. From that point on, the group worked long _ and hard to get the pro- gram off the ground. Meetings with Chris Angel from ACC's Volunteer Center followed_ and by May of 1998 the new group had its first membership m~eting. Within the first year, ALL @ ACC surpassed its gol:1.1 of 50 members with 168 partici- pants. The group currently serves 205 people from many · towns_ and villages in the area. This special group offers The program is run on its year.,long or life-time member- own budget with funds stem- ships at very reasonable rates. ming from membership dues. To join, one must be 50 years Volunteers sit on the executive of ageor older or a retiree. board, volunteers from the ALL@ ACC offers a wide community share their exper- variety of experiences for its ti'se, whether it be from com- members. The group is in- puters to history, by teaching volved in continuing educ~tion classes, and volunteers from classes, out-of-door excur- ACC support the program. sions, cultural trips, dancing, ~oubek said that AC~ card playing, film series, travel , President Donald Newport and series, and a vast array of other the Board_ofTrustees at Alpena recreational and educational Community College are "in- opportunities. Friendships, strumental" in keeping the pro- companionship, increased gram up and running. physical activity and social and Every three months the intellectual gains are all part of programs changes, and more the beauty of the grnup. new and exciting classes are introduced. The program is ta!- lored to fit the_ needs and wants of older adults and strives for "continued educational stimu- lation," said Doubek. Thus far, ALL @ ACC is quite successful. The contin- ued dedication of all volunteers and participants can only make it more so. For more information on the Association of Lifelong Learners at Alpena Communit College stop by the Volunteer Center located in the Center Building. Softball Coach Mike Wisniewiski is looking for softball players. Any former high school softball players interested · in play- ing for ACC's softball team should contact Dean of Stu- dent Services Max Lindsay in his office in Van Lare Hall or call 356-9021, Ext. 200 to leave your name_and home telephone number. Alpena businesses feeling heat frorn little snow, snowrnobilers It'~ Ct/_Sweet-S~ At-ACC'~'B~oreA ! \Vori/t/brffd"that-;pectal,, Yalenrm.e- By Melissa Kennard Staff Writer the effects of the lack of snow. The restaurant counts on snow- mobile traffic from a nearby · · The weather outside is trail that hasn't been used frightful for some area busi- heavily this winter, said Vance nesses. Mills, the owner's son. With snow totals trailing a "We have only had a few fobt behind last year at this snowmobiling customers, re- time, area businesses are feel- ally not enough to speak of, -in·g the pinch of a, poor which has brought a decline in srtowmobiling season. business," Mills said. Snowmobiling has become an He also mentioned that the increasingly popular sport and last three winters have been the money it brings in helps to slow in the winter because of b~ost northeastern Michigan's little snow fall. economy. Local snowmobile dealers Lodges, stores and restau- Sports Unlimited and Great rants are feeling the loss of Lakes Sport Center also com- l;>usiness. The Little Town plained of a decline in sales. Lounge in Lachine is feeling "It sucks," said Chris Yokey, owner of Great Lakes Sport Center, about the weather. Doreen Kriniak, a co- owner/sale s associate for Sports Unlimited, tries to look at the bright side. During the winter of 1994 it snowed on Nov. 15 and kept snowing. As a result, sales rose dramatically that year . . "If you say you are sick, you will believe you are sick," she said. "If you think the weather is terrible, in turn you will believe it to be." Krinfak says people should stay positive; if it snows, it snows. If not. maybe nexryear. LOrlff'StlMVR~_wtlt.00/a,JI~ February14f'v w~ hav~tvgreat-Jelect-'t,0rvef Jelly 13elly J/alent-"WZ&Carzd:7 (~~/re&/2 Blue-Mount-atw Valent-"WZ&Card:Yci- · B~ ~cuddl:Y crtt:tl!rr! 'February 1 Ott\, & 11th, 30%C9ffC~ (~ct"~~)